As Long as We're Together
by starlightfall 101
Summary: And Percy let go of his tiny ledge, as he threw Annabeth up with all his strenght and began his freefall into the abyss of darkness, looking up at what may be his last glance of sunlight and a glimpse of wide brown eyes as he fell into eternal darkness 3 Nicercy 3


**A/N: This whole multi-chapter story is based on part of HoH and end of MoA just revised to make a little Nicercy magic**

**I also made this story as an entry to Takara Phoenix's Contest. Fingers crossed**

_As Long as We're Together – Said Nico di Angelo_

_Chapter 1, falling_

_-xxx-_

Percy

"Secure it!"

Annabeth cried as the statue started slipping into the chasm. Everyone moved into action quickly.

"Zhang!" Leo cried. "Get me to the helm, quick! The coach is up there alone."

Frank transformed into a giant eagle, and the two of them flew toward the ship.

Jason held Piper. He turned to me. "Back for you guys in a sec." He summoned the wind and shot into the air.

"This floor won't last!" Hazel warned. "The rest of us should get to the ladder."

Dust rose as the ground began to shake. The support cables (I think they were made of spider silk) began to break. Hazel reached for the ladder and called to Nico, but Nico was in no condition to sprint.

I hugged Annabeth, my best friend after an unsuccessful relationship, we agreed to just be the best of friends. But that didn't stop me from charging into the battle to rescue her.

I gripped her hand tighter. "It'll be fine."

Following Annabeth's gaze, grappling lines shot out and wrapped around the statue. Leo shouted orders from the helm as Jason and Frank flew frantically from line to line, trying to secure them.

Nico had just reached the ladder when a gasp escaped Annabeth and she stumbled.

"What is it?" I asked.

I gripped Annabeth's hand to encourage her to move forward. Why was she moving backwards? I tried to catch her as she stumbled and fell n her face.

"Her ankle!" Hazel shouted from the ladder. "Cut it! Cut it!"

I turned towards Hazel's voice. What? Why would I cut Annabeth's ankle? I turned around as Annabeth was pulled to the chasm. On instinct, I lunged for her.

"Help them!" Hazel yelled.

I looked back, wishing for help. Nico was doing his best to run towards us and Hazel was doing her best to untangle her sword from the ladder while shouting for help. Her shouts were drowned by the sound of shouting and rumbling of the cavern. I was the only one who can help Annabeth now.

Annabeth cried out as she suddenly hit the edge of the pit and a part of her slid into the pit. No, I looked at Annabeth and saw the spider silk her ankle was tangled in. I should have been faster, I could have cut it, should have listened to Hazel and understood.

The other end of the silk was attached to something heavy down in the darkness, something that was pulling them in.

"No," I muttered, understanding reaching my brain, "My sword…"

But if he reached for Riptide, he'd have to let Annabeth go and that was not an option. But his strength was fading fast. We slipped over the edge.

Adrenaline coursed through me as I felt the force of Tartarus pulling us in. On instinct, I reached my free hand out and grabbed the first thing my hand felt, a ledge as big as a bookshelf. Even with a handhold, I knew I was losing my strength.

I saw Annabeth's eyes momentarily close s she blacked out, probably from the pain as she slammed into the wall of the pit.

As Annabeth opened her eyes, I swear I heard someone '_No escape,_said a faint whisper in the darkness below. _I go to Tartarus, and you will come too.' _And Annabeth's eyes showed that she heard it too, that the whisper was meant for her ears only. A little hunch would be that it was Arachne, whispering from the depths of Tartarus.

The pit shook, trying to make me let go of our tiny sliver of hope.

Nico's face appeared above me, reaching his hand out. He was still too far away for me to reach him. Hazel was still shouting through the chaos, but there was no hope that they'd reach us in time. There was only one thing to do, but I won't let Annabeth go through it.

I glanced as Annabeth as her face blanched and pain flashed across her grey eyes. She was too far down to be saved, unless he could do something about it.

"Percy, let me go," she croaked. "You can't pull me up."

His face was white with effort. She looked into my eyes and saw the hopelessness filling me up.

"Never," I said. I looked up at Nico, fifteen feet above. "The other side, Nico! _**I'll**_ see you there. Understand?"

Surprise and understanding flashed across her face.

"You can't do this Percy! Just let me go!"

"Nico, I need you to promise me, please." I continued pretending to haven't have heard her.

Nico's eyes widened. "But—"

"Lead them there!" Percy shouted. "Promise me!"

"I—I no"

I heard him but the word _no_ didn't register in my mind as I continued on with my plan.

With all the strength left in me, I let go of my tiny ledge and started to fall, at the same time I forced Annabeth upward towards land.

I heard an oomph as Annabeth hit the floor hard and my guess was that she had fallen unconscious again.

I started freefalling then a hand grabbed my arm and nearly displaced my shoulder. I gasped involuntarily as pain shot through my arm.

I looked up with weary eyes and saw Nico di Angelo's brown eyes looking back at me.

"No, because we'll make it there together, Percy," Nico said, with determination in his fierce eyes.

Below them, the voice laughed in the darkness. _Sacrifices. Beautiful sacrifices to wake the goddess._

Nico tightened his grip on my wrist. His thin face was pale, gaunt, scarred and bloody, his hair dusted with cobwebs and debris, I wanted to shout no and protest. Doesn't he understand the importance of their safety for me? But when he locked eyes with me, I realized that this was how it was supposed to be, I wasn't suppose to be alone in Tartarus, and if it wasn't Annabeth with me then who else but Nico di Angelo?.

"We're staying together," he promised. "You're not getting away from me. Never again."

Only then did I understand the gravity of the situation, _A one-way trip. A very hard fall._

"As long as we're together," I said.

I heard Annabeth's sudden shout as regained her consciousness and Hazel still screaming for help. I felt Nico's hand tighten around my wrist, comfortingly. I saw the sunlight far, far above—maybe the last sunlight I would ever see.

Then Nico let go of his tiny ledge, and together, holding hands, he and Percy fell into the endless darkness.

**A/N: What do you think? Good right? The whole chapter is based on the end of Chapter 51 of Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan, just revised in my very own style to make little Nicercy magic 3**

**-Updates would be once a week**

**Yours Truly,**

_**Starlightfalls101**_


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